Container with double acting hinge closure



F. R. SCHULZ 3,392,870

CONTAINER WITH DOUBLE ACTING HINGE CLOSURE July 16, 1968 Filed Oct. 20, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. I INVENTOR. FLOYD R. SCHULZ ATTORNEY.

F. R. SCHULZ July 16, 1968 CONTAINER WITH DOUBLE ACTING HINGE CLOSURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 20, 1965 FIG. 4

INVENTOR.

FLOYD R. SCHULZ ATTORNEY.

July 16, 1968 F. R. SCHULZ CONTAINER WITH DOUBLE ACTING HINGE CLOSURE Filed Oct. 20, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

FLOYD R. SCHULZ FIG.8

ATTORN EY.

United States Patent Oflice Patented July 16, 1968 3,392,870 CONTAINER WITH DOUBLE ACTING HINGE CLOSURE Floyd R. Schulz, Manlius, N. assignor, by mesne assignments, to Diebold Incorporated, Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 498,884

3 Claims. (Cl. 220-32) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container structure, an open top boxlike body member of rectangular form having a shouldered recess at the top, a cover closure positioned on the shoulders and consisting of at least two panels extending transversely of the body member and joined together by double acting hinge members whereby, regardless of which cover surface is up, one panel may be folded over the other to provide access to the box member. Means is provided for detachably holding the cover panels on the box member.

This invention has to do with a container structure for the transportation of articles, particularly for transporting articles in hospitals.

The invention has as an object a one-piece container, preferably molded from plastic material, and having a cover or top closure consisting of two or more panel members, which are joined together by double-acting hinge members, whereby the members may be folded over each other to provide access to either end portion of the container. The cover is frictionally secured to the container, whereby the entire cover may be readily removed from the container, and when one panel of the removed cover is folded over another panel, the folded cover may be placed within the container on the bottom thereof.

The panels forming the cover member may be coated with different colors, or otherwise provided with indicia, for indicating the contents or condition of the contents of the container. For example, when the container is used in hospital service, one side surface of the cover may be colored white to indicate that the contents in the container are in sterile condition and the opposite side of the cover may be colored yellow to indicate, when faced upwardly, that the contents of the container have been contaminated.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a container embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the container with portions of the cover broken away.

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view.

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on line 4-4, FIGURE 2, showing one panel member of the cover folded over the other panel member.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-5, FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6-6, FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 7-7, FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 8-8, FIGURE 2.

The body portion of the container is preferably molded from suitable plastic material capable of withstanding sterilization. The container has a flat bottom wall 10, and side walls 11 and 12. The container is of rectangular form, see FIGURE 2, the walls 11 having a greater lengthwise dimension than the walls 12. The walls 11, 12, taper slightly, diverging upwardly, to provide for the nesting of the containers in stack formation. The container is formed, in the lower portion of each corner, with an inwardly extending thickened portion 17, see FIGURES 2 and 8, these thickened portions providing for reinforcement of the bottom corners of the container.

The side walls 11 are formed at their upper edges with shoulders 19, and the walls 12 are formed in their central portion with inwardly extending shoulders 21. The top edge of the container is formed with a continuous perimetric upstanding flange 23 in which there is preferably encased a reinforcing rod 24. The flange 23 extends outwardly from the top edges of the side walls 11, see FIGURE 5, permitting the container to be supported drawer-fashion on runners in storage cabinets and transport trucks. The central portion of each of the walls 12 is displaced inwardly to form a vertically disposed outwardly facing recess 25, see FIGURES 3 and 4. The top of the recesses 25 terminates below the shoulders 21. The recesses 25, in conjunction with the shoulders 21, formed in the walls 12, provide handle grips for the lifting of the filled container when the cover is applied thereto.

The container is provided with a cover closure in the form of a plurality of flat panels. In the arrangement shown, there are two panels 30, 31, joined together at like edges by double-acting hinge members 33. The joint, indicated at 35, of the panels 30, 31 extends transversely of the lengthwise dimension of the container. With the pair of covers employed, this joint is media] of the walls 12.

The double-acting hinge members 33 permit either one of the cover panels 30, 31, to be folded on top of the other panel and this regardless of which surface of the cover closure is faced upwardly. Referring to FIGURE 2, the panel members 30, 31, when in flat, co-planar form, are dimensioned comparable with the container, and when positioned on the shoulders 19, 21, form a complete closure for the container. The panels 30, 31, are formed adjacent their free edges with access openings 37 in which the finger may be inserted for manipulating the cover panels. Inasmuch as the container is formed with a greater lengthwise dimension than crosswise and so proportioned, the cover closure, when one panel is folded on top of the other, may be positioned on the bottom wall of the container, as indicated by the dotted outline in FIG- URE 2.

The flat panels 30, 31, making up the cover closure, may be printed, or otherwise supplied, with indicia as indicated at 43 on one surface of the cover, and at 44 on the opposite side of the cover, to indicate the contents of the container or the condition of the contents, as previously stated.

One or more plates 40 of magnetizable material are embedded within the thickness of the side walls 11, see FIGURES l and 5. Selected small areas of the plate, as indicated by the dots 41, are magnetized to provide a code destination for the container when it is moved automatically by conveyor means. These areas are de-magnetized after the code has served its purpose. The means for detachably retaining the panels on the box shoulders may consist of small rubber blocks 42 fixed to the opposite side edges of the panels for engaging the flange 23.

What I claim is:

1. A container structure comprising an open top boxlike body member of rectangular form having a lengthwise dimension exceeding the widthwise dimension, the top edge of the side walls of said box member being formed with cover supporting shoulders, an upstanding flange spaced outwardly from said shoulders, a cover member positioned on said shoulders within said flange to form a closure for the open top of the box member, said cover member consisting of a pair of panels extending transversely of the box member and being joined together in side by side relation, said panels being provided with indicia on one side surface for indicating the condition of the contents of the box member, and on the opposite side with other indicia indicating a different condition of the contents of the box member, said panels being joined together by double acting hinge members whereby, regardless which surface of the cover member is up, one panel member may be folded flat over the other panel member to provide access to either end portion of the box member, and cover retaining means cooperable with each of said panels and said box member for detachably retaining said panels on said shoulders.

2. A container structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each panel member is of a dimension in a direction lengthwise of the box member less than the width of the box member.

3. A container structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the thickness of said panels is less than the heightof said flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 782,528 2/1905 Stewart 217-56 1,571,605 2/1926 Saller 220-42 2,506,600 5/1950 Kassovic. 2,654,498 10/1953 Jennison 217-57 2,835,993 5/1958 Whitehead 40-22 3,057,510 10/1962 Blacker 220-97 3,172,562 3/1965 Nascher et al 220-97 3,261,495 7/1966 Beesley et a1, 220-21 1,978,955 10/1934 Norcross 217-57 3,300,265 1/1967 Wilmer et al. 220-29 FOREIGN PATENTS 451,515 9/ 1948 Canada.

RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Primary Examiner. 

